Let It Be
by Rachel Does It
Summary: Cori would say she had a life most people could only dream of ever living. She's traveled the world, created memories to last a lifetime, and made some of the very best friends. Everything was perfect until her whole life changed in a split second. Just one mistake, one decision made in one single moment, obliterated everything she ever knew. *FULL SUMMARY INSIDE* [ZAYN/OC]
1. Prologue

**[A/N:** If this seems familiar to any of you, that's because I posted it on an old FF account of mine. I deleted it after a few days because some miserable human being didn't like my premise and left a crappy comment. I felt a little self-conscious and removed it, but thankfully saved the files. I've decided to give it another go & post it for you guys. I want to just disclose that, off the bat, this might seem like a run-of-the-mill Ambrose story, BUT IT'S NOT! It's not even intended to be an Ambrose story. Please, give it a read and a chance before you complain about that. Yes, this is in reference to that upset human and their review. Also, if that human is you & you're reading this - suck all the dicks. That's not to say I don't appreciate and welcome constructive criticism, because I do. What I will not suffer is unwarranted douchebaggery & if you don't know the difference between the two, please take some time to educate yourself before you start trying to critique shit. Also, to anyone following bulletproof weeks - I AM GOING TO UPDATE THIS WEEK, HOPEFULLY! I know I promise to update it like two weeks ago & forgive me, I had all the intent to. After the last update, my Little caught pneumonia coupled with a nice double ear infection. No sooner was she feeling better...I came down with esophagitis...because _mom problems!_ Anywho, everyone is feeling mostly human again, so I will work on it and get it up ASAP! In the meantime, I hope you'll read and enjoy this one! I'll be updating both stories as regularly as possible. **]**

* * *

 **FULL SUMMARY:** Corinne Morgan would say she had a life most people could only dream of ever living. As a seamstress/costume designer for the WWE, she's traveled the world, created memories to last a lifetime, and made some of the very best friends. Everything was perfect until her whole life changed in a split second. Just one mistake, one decision made in one single moment, obliterated everything she ever knew. As much as she wants to, she can't change what's done. She can't go back in time, she can't try to erase the hurt feelings, or mend the broken hearts. She can't make any of the details pretty, all she can do now is move forward and try to make the whole beautiful.

* * *

 **August 21, 2016**

 **Brooklyn, NY**

"I can't believe we're doing this..." Cori whispered, along with a drunken giggle, as they crept quietly down the empty hall to his hotel room.

In one hand, she held the high heeled boots she'd decided were too uncomfortable for the journey from the bar. The other gripped the hand of the man shuffling next to her. Talk about the blind leading the blind. They were both intoxicated – staggering together.

It wasn't unusual for the four best friends to go out for a celebratory drink after a pay-per-view event. A toast to all four living out their dreams and the three guys ending the night _mostly_ unscathed. This night, Roman had his family with him and Seth was in the dumps about his match. That meant it was just Dean and Cori who'd met up after the show. He told Cori that he'd fought with Renee after the show, but he didn't want to talk about it. Cori didn't press for more details, but it meant he was alone for the night, too.

 _"One drink._ " They'd both agreed – Dean said he was exhausted from his match and Cori had to get up early to accompany Becky to the gym before the other woman had to leave for Connecticut.

One drink led to two, which led to several more. They were so twisted when they left the bar that they were holding one another up.

"Shhh." Dean was obviously still coherent enough to be cautious. "Are you tryna' make us the talk of the locker room tomorrow?" He asked, whispering.

The hotel halls were quiet and empty, typical of three AM on a Sunday night and perfect for Dean & Cori. Even though their co-workers were accustomed to Cori shadowing any or all the former Shield members, she never went to hotel rooms late at night with any of them.

"Oops." Cori giggled again, this time quieter.

Dean held her hand tight, fingers interlocked, his thumb impatiently caressing hers. As they reached his door, he took her in his arms. His kiss took her breath away, the hunger and desire. They stumbled against the door.

"Are you sure...Renee?" Cori's head swam as he pressed his lips to hers, his hand at the nape of her neck. He was neither rough nor particularly gentle, but he kissed her with the strength and sureness of a man who knew what he wanted. He tasted like morning coffee, a little tart, a little sweet, and kicked her adrenaline into overdrive more swiftly than caffeine.

Dean placed his hand flat against the door, rested his head on hers as he caught his breath. "I won't tell if you don't..." She could smell the alcohol on his breath – and God help her she wanted to suck the taste off his tongue.

She was looking forward to going to bed with Dean like she'd never looked forward to anything in her life.

"...unless you don't want to..." He murmured, kissing the arch of her brow, her eyelids, and her mouth.

He drew her more firmly against his hard body, so tight that she could feel the growing evidence of his arousal. A small gasp escaped her when he slowly ground his hips against her stomach. Something deep within her went liquid in response.

"How did I know that would be your answer?" He smiled against her lips. "We'd better get inside before we give someone a show they never forget." He kissed her quickly and reached past her to insert the key into the lock.

Dean pushed the door open and nudged her inside. He tossed the keys onto the side table and kicked the door shut, before locking it behind them.

Her lips tingled with the remnants of his long lingering kiss. She pulled back and dropped her boots, quickly glancing around the room – almost as if she was expecting to find Renee sitting there and waiting to catch them in the act. Four beers and three Fireball shots ago, she probably would have felt guilty about where she was, who she was with, and what she was about to do.

But, any guilt or second thoughts she might have had quickly disappeared when Dean put his hands on her again.

A tingle shot up her spine – a tremor as he lifted her and carried her over to the bed, climbing on his knees and placing her on her back in the middle. He pulled off his black t-shirt and Cori took in his body. All lean, hard muscles she ached to touch.

"You're a bad influence, Dean Ambrose." Cori said, but the electricity coursing through her veins confirmed that she didn't consider this a bad thing.

He smirked and flicked open the button to her jeans with one hand. Grabbing the hem, he pushed her shirt up and out of the way. She could see the fierce hunger in his eyes as he focused on her breasts and an excited kick of pleasure gripped her.

After unburdening her of most her clothing, he crawled over her on all fours, caging her with his muscular limbs.

He lowered his mouth to hers, pressed his hard, hot body against her."Yeah, a really bad influence."

* * *

 _ **The Next Morning:**_

Cori groaned as she came into consciousness, blinking her eyes open to the dim light of the room. Her first thought was to wonder if anyone caught the license plate of the truck that must have run her down. As hangovers went, this one was a doozy. Her head was splitting – her thighs and center were also very sore...

"God, if I never see another beer in my life, it'll be too soon." She moaned.

She couldn't remember how many drinks she had, but she knew Dean had bought her two upon arriving at the bar, and that was it. She could remember laughing with Dean, and she wasn't entirely sure, but thought they might have danced. Then...well...then she must have stumbled back to the hotel and fallen into bed.

She felt bone dry – a hot shower and a glass of water were calling her name.

Promising herself a reward of returning to bed in a few minutes, she decided to go in search of both.

Keeping her eyes closed, she sat up slowly and swung her feet over the bed. She gasped when the cool air hit her – a shiver shimmied down her spine, her nipples tightening to tight buds.

It was in that moment she realized she was naked as the day she'd been born.

"Oh, holy mother of God." She opened her eyes and wheezed, partly from the sunlight burning her retinas, but mostly from her strange surroundings. The generic hotel furnishings and décor were familiar, it was obviously a room in the same hotel she was staying. But, the suitcase against the wall was black – hers was a purple, aluminum trolley case. None of her cosmetics and toiletries were strung out on the dresser, either.

That was the first thing she did in every hotel – every town.

She did recognize her clothes strewn out in the floor; her favorite skinny jeans and a plain white t-shirt. Next to them, another pair of jeans and a pair of men's black boots.

"Oh, Corinne Morgan, what have you done..." Her stomach was in her throat at the sight of those boots – she definitely recognized the boots she teased him for wearing _everywhere._

Because her head wasn't spinning enough, Cori whirled back around to look at the bed and it felt like her heart stopped in her chest.

He was on his stomach, his entire right arm hanging off the side of the bed. He was lightly snoring, and drool ran freely from his open mouth. The white sheet lay carelessly over his hips. _His naked hips,_ which led her gaze to his naked back and then to his naked shoulders, the muscles nicely highlighted by the way he slept with his other arm under his head.

Her head ached as the events of the previous night came back in a screaming rush. Though most of it was a hazy blur set to a soundtrack of shameful sounds she never thought Dean would elicit from her, she could still feel the softness of his lips on her skin. She could recall the melding of their two glistening and wanting bodies. Deep & passionate kisses. Soft moans as he let his instincts take over. Their slow rhythm giving way to urgent and demanding thrusts of passion. His hands entangled in her hair as he threw her into ecstasy.

Icy panic shot through her, chilling her to the core, upon realizing she'd slept with, not only one of her closest friends, but also one of her best friends' boyfriend.

She snatched up the comforter from the foot of the bed and wrapped it around her naked body. "Dean!" She hissed his name, but he didn't stir – his breathing remained deep and steady.

She snorted out her irritation and tried again, this time much louder. "DEAN AMBROSE! I NEED YOU TO WAKE UP!"

This time, Dean's eyebrows scrunched together and he opened his eyes, glaring at her tiredly. "Goddamn, what are you yelling about, Morgan?" The low and husky rumble from sleep accentuated his already gravelly voice.

Slowly, he sat up, clearly hung over. "Fuck..." He grumbled, scrubbing a hard hand over his face. "I'm going to kick Roman's ass for letting me get so wasted last night."

He must have been a lot drunker than Cori originally thought – briefly, she considered reminding him that Roman never showed up at the bar, but she chose to digress.

"Dean, I think a hangover is the least of our problems right now!" She clutched the comforter tight, fingers digging deeply into the folds.

Dean seemed confused for a moment, but then she could tell his half-awake, hungover mind registered why Cori was standing naked in his room. She saw the dawning in his eyes, the flash of awareness, along with an obvious sense of disappointment.

"Oh, shit, so it wasn't just a filthy dream after all..." He said, so cavalier.

Cori knitted her brow – _did he have filthy dreams about her often?_

She pushed the thought to the back of her mind. She needn't be concerned about his stupid wet dreams, not after their _actual_ filthy activities the prior night.

"Really? That's your response?" She couldn't believe how calm he was being, it was irritating. "You have a fucking girlfriend – who just so happens to be my friend and co-worker. Is this _not_ a problem to you?" She scoffed her disbelief.

Dean sat up slowly and groaned as he stretched his neck, rolled his shoulders forward, then back. "Cori, I see how this could be problematic – I do." He rubbed his scalp and yawned before saying, "But, why panic? You're acting like we can go back and un-screw one another or something..."

Cori stared at him incredulously – so stunned by his completely unbothered state that she almost lost her grip on the comforter hanging around her frame. She watched him as he got out of the bed, staggered a bit, and stretched his arms to the ceiling. Nerves warred within her stomach and she wondered if she was the one over-reacting.

"Trust me, Cor," He'd collected his jeans from the pile of clothing on the floor and they now hung snugly around his hips. "I regret our little drunken romp as much as you," He sighed and drew a hand threw his already tousled hair. "but the way I see it – we're the only ones who know about it, right?" Dean was standing in front of her now – bare chest inches away from her nose.

"Right." Cori looked away, the heat of her shame rising in her cheeks. Dean was one of her very best friends, along with Roman, Seth, and Becky. She'd seen him shirtless many times – at the gym, the pool, backstage. It was never a big deal before, now it just felt wrong and wholly inappropriate.

"Well, I'm not saying shit to anyone and, judging by the way you're shaking like a dog shitting glass, I doubt you are."

She stepped back to give herself some space and bit her lip, eyes on the ground. "We were obviously very wasted, Dean, we don't know for sure that nobody saw us come back here together."

"We don't know for sure that anybody did, neither, do we?"

He was right but panic emptied her brain of logic. "But, what if they did?"

"Morgan, life's too short to walk around chewing your lip over things that may not happen, okay?" He put a finger under her chin and raised her face to his so that she was forced to meet his eyes.

She fought the urge to pull away from his touch. She could never let him put his hands on her again – all she'd ever think about was how those hands had explored every inch and sought an audience with the most intimate parts of her body.

"We're adults," He continued. "and, drunk or not, we made a decision. We'll just have to deal with the consequences of that decision – _if_ we're met with them. Otherwise," He sighed again and dropped his hand to his side. "I'm gonna hop in the shower..."

Cori nodded. "You're right." She took in a deep breath and exhaled. "I should get back to my room and get cleaned up, too. Becky's probably worried sick."

She really couldn't deny the honesty of his words – they couldn't change it and by worrying about uncertainties they would only be robbing themselves of peace of mind.

 _Peace of mind_ \- internally, she scoffed.

She'd slept with another woman's boyfriend; the last thing she deserved was peace of mind, ever again.

"Alright. I'll see you and the guys at breakfast." He playfully punched her shoulder and disappeared into the bathroom.

Even after hearing the door shut and lock behind him, she didn't move right away. She was frozen for a moment – part of her still couldn't fully process what had happened. She was completely shocked, she'd never even been attracted to Dean – or so she'd thought. She was more stunned by his indifferent reaction, to say the least. She didn't even have a significant other and she was completely frazzled.

Once she heard the shower start, she finally dropped the blanket and hurried into her clothes. Her phone was flashing with dozens of missed calls and texts from Becky – as Cori had predicted. After not returning to their shared room all night and sleeping through their early morning gym date, she was surprised Becky hadn't already gathered Roman & Seth and beat down Dean's door to recruit him for her search party.

She sent Becky a quick text to assure her that she was okay and on her way back to the room. She didn't know how Dean could be so calm, but she would follow suit – he certainly had more to lose than she did. To start, she just wanted a shower to wash Dean and the night off her. After that, she wasn't sure what would become of their friendship.

She didn't really want to think about it, either.

She just wanted to forget the night had ever happened.

* * *

 **September 15, 2016**

 **Milwaukee, WI**

"Well, shit."

Heart slamming fiercely in her chest, Cori stared at the three sticks lined up on the edge of her bathroom counter and hoped her Jedi mind trick would turn the positive signs to negative.

There had to be some mistake, but how could three pregnancy tests be wrong?

Regardless of how concerned she had been about this, how much it had occupied her thoughts, she couldn't wrap her mind around the results.

Even if you know what's coming, you're never prepared for how it feels.

She placed her hands on either side of the sink and inhaled deeply through her nose.

She became suspicious 8 days ago, when her period was officially 3 days late. She was never, ever late. 28 days, like clockwork.

Then this month – nothing.

She had hoped she was just late, but every day that passed without Aunt Flo coming to town sent a new rush of terror through her heart. It had taken her a week to find the courage to take a test and now she desperately wished she'd hadn't.

After 5 minutes of willing the results to change, her brain felt like it was about to explode, so she sat down on toilet seat and placed her head in her hands. Her stomach clenched painfully and her mouth felt desperately dry.

"Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid." Tears welled in her eyes and she gulped them back. "How could you let this happen, Corinne?"

The sensible side of her told her not to be so hard on herself – _she was drunk and made a mistake._ She had been so occupied with her shock over having slept with Dean and trying to get the night out of her mind – she'd never even stopped to wonder if the two of them, in all their drunken brilliance, had paused long enough to bother with protection.

Obviously not, because it couldn't be anyone other than Dean. Aside from their one night together, she had the sex-life of a nun; the reason she wasn't on any birth control.

"What am I supposed to do now?" She pressed her hand hard against her flat stomach, clenching her shirt with trembling fingers.

Pregnancy would create enough problems, but with Dean as the father, those problems would only be multiplied to the point where she wasn't sure how she would be able to handle them.

So far, their night together had remained their dirty little secret. With Dean and Renee traveling with Smackdown and Cori working backstage with the RAW roster, she was really beginning to think it would fade away into a distant memory.

So much for that – sure, she could probably hide it for a few months, but certainly not forever. When it became noticeable, people would ask questions. She briefly considered not telling him or anyone the truth, but dismissed that thought when she remembered he was still one of her best friends. Even if they never spoke about it, he knew they'd spent a night together and she was certain he could do basic math.

Eventually, he would figure it out on his own.

A knock on her bathroom door jolted her from her thoughts.

"Cor, did you die in there? Hurry up, I gotta piss, man." Seth called.

She'd honestly forgotten he was there, crashing on her couch that night so they could drive into Chicago together the next day for Riot Fest.

"Sorry, Seth, I'll be out in a sec." She called back quickly, doing her best to hide the quiver in her voice. "That chili you made isn't sitting right with me."

"Okaaaay. TMI, Corinne."

Cori waited for the sound of Seth's retreating footsteps before she stood up from the toilet and grabbed the tests, their instructions, and the boxes. She wrapped all the paraphernalia in a garbage bag and buried it as deep in the waste basket as she could manage.

"Holy hell..." She uttered on an exhalation, staring at the garbage. If she honestly thought there was a God in heaven, she would ask him what she had done to deserve this? No, she knew what she'd done – this was her punishment for sleeping with another woman's boyfriend.

Did she really let herself think that night would just go away?

 _Stupid_

 _And pregnant._

With Dean Ambrose's baby.

* * *

I want to stress, at the beginning, that this isn't really a Dean/OC story - as you read on, you will see that it's to be more of a Zayn/OC story. I just wanted to disclose that before anyone thought this was a Dean/OC story, got deep into it, and then messaged me disappointed later on. Hell, stories/ideas grow and evolve! If it flows that way, it might become a Dean/OC story - but I don't plan it that way. So, yeah.


	2. Chapter 1

**August 21, 2016**

 **Brooklyn, NY**

The club was crowded, filled to capacity – not surprising to Dean. It was Sunday night, but it was also New York City. The two of them were lucky enough to snag two high-backed stools at a table in a dark corner of the room. So far, to his satisfaction, the place was too packed for anyone to notice his presence. It wasn't very often that he got to go out without being approached by _someone._

Which was the last thing he wanted at that moment.

The music blaring throughout the club was a techno beat loud enough to vibrate through the soles of his shoes and be felt deep in his very soul. The interior was dimly lit, split only by the flickering lights stabbing through the darkness to highlight faces for but a moment before they were shrouded once more.

Dean watched the dancers on the floor illuminated in the ever-changing neon lights as they moved to the music – his eyes locked on one in particular.

When she'd asked him to dance, he told her that he would watch, and he was. Bringing the beer bottle to his lips, his eyes were involuntarily drawn to her hips.

As Cori danced, she swiveled around in an undetermined pattern, hips undulating from right to left of their own volition. She was letting the music move her body where it wanted. It was fluidic and vibrant, like nothing he'd ever seen before. She was completely into her element, channeling the dance goddess within. It was enchanting to look at, and downright arousing.

 _"Was it the alcohol or had she always been so pretty?"_ He mused to himself.

On a dance floor, full of people, she called out to him like a lighthouse beacon to a ship in the dark of night. She'd straightened her normally tight curls, blonde hair cascading down her shoulders and shimmering beneath the bright, flashing lights – reminding him of flaxen silk. When she caught him staring, the deep olive-skinned beauty responded with a sparkle in her green eyes and ruby-lipped smile.

Of course, she'd always been _that_ pretty – he'd just never paid attention. For the past three years, he'd seen this woman almost every day and never given any notice to the physicality of her. He was never able to see past Renee for any other woman.

 _Little good that done him._

After three years, a dog, and a house, she'd decided that it didn't feel like their relationship was going anywhere and wanted to take a break for a few weeks _._ He wasn't stupid – he knew that was woman code for, _'I want to break up with you permanently, but I'm just trying to let you down easy to soften the blow.'_

"Good riddance to her." He grumbled, taking another swig from his beer, wishing his heart would join his head in its indifference towards her departure. It was much easier for him to be angry than sad. He knew how to deal with anger – he could channel it into wrestling. After all, it had brought him so much success before the WWE and Renee.

But sadness? Sadness was never something he allowed himself to feel – he was more obliged to feel nothing at all.

"Why did you come out if you're just going to mope all fucking night?" He hadn't even noticed the song was over when Cori sat back down on the stool next to him, pink-cheeked and out of breath from dancing so hard. "I can't believe you're making me have all this fun all by myself."

"You seem to be doing a pretty good job." He commented with a smirk.

Their barstools were pushed close together, her knees pressed between his, but he wasn't expecting the slide of her hand onto his knee, and the slow spread of her fingers over his thigh. "Loosen up, Ambrose."

Dean caught her fingers before they could wander and she didn't jerk her hand free. He glanced up, saw the lazy smile stretching across her lips.

She was unquestionably drunk.

"I know what will cheer you up." She downed the remnants of her beer and made an unsteady dismount from the wooden stool, nearly crashing into him, but he caught her hips and held her in place. Cori closed her fingers around his wrists, tugged him with her when she began walking backwards. "To the bar! I'm buying shots!"

She took his hand and he let her drag him across the floor of dancing people to the bar – where she produced a $20 from her jeans and slapped it on the bar. "Give me two shots of Fireball!" She exclaimed to the bartender. "Oh, and two shots of Jack Daniels for my buddy." She hugged his arm and he suspected it was more of an attempt to steady herself than an actual show of affection.

The bartender -a tall, slender man with short dark hair and two gold nose piercings-, eyed the inebriated woman skeptically before sweeping his gaze up to Dean.

It was only after Dean offered a reassuring nod that the bartender slid the money away and turned to retrieve the bottles.

While they waited for their drinks, Dean stood leaning on one elbow against the bar, with his foot up on the foot-rail. Cori remained standing close to him, enough that he could smell her perfume and the liquor on her breath.

"I know you're in the dumps about Renee." She said, pressing her hand firmly against his chest and looking up at him. "I bet I could make you feel better." She moved her hand slowly up from his chest, running the tips of her fingers across the side of his cheek. She smiled, eyes waxen, as she looked at him.

One of her flirty smiles, one he had seen her use on guys in bars before, one with her enticing tongue pressing against the whites of her teeth. He wanted that smile covering his.

He felt an electric tingle at her touch, and her beaming if slightly unfocused grin – but he steeled himself against it. "You don't think you've had enough yet, Cor? I can walk you back to your room or call Becky to come-"

"Enjoy." The bartender interrupted, bringing their shots over.

"Too much is never enough, Ambrose." She handed him the shot of whiskey and held hers out in toast. "Now, shut up and take a shot." She rolled her glassy eyes, but her lips were lifting behind the rim of her gleaming glass.

"Cheers." He touched his glass against hers and knocked the shot back in one gulp. It went down strong and the burn was almost enough to soothe the painful ache of his heart. It was only after he'd bought their six or seventh round that he began to relax.

At that point, Renee was the farthest thing from his mind as he sat at the bar, Cori standing between his knees, with one hand around his shot glass and the other around her waist while he listened to her talk.

The conversation was mostly one-sided – she rambled animatedly while he grinned and laughed. Honestly, he wasn't even sure she what she was talking about for the most part, but he didn't want her to stop.

Nothing like a beautiful woman and a bottle of whiskey to distract him from life's issues.

Cori stopped talking when the DJ lowered the already dim lights and switched the music over to a slower tune. "Oooooh, Dean. I love this song. Dance with me, please." she sighed, her arms suddenly around his neck, her body tilting slowly from side to side.

His hands settled at her waist, thumbs skimming the edge of her shirt. "Morgan, I already told you that I don't da-"

"Dean..." She made a pout and looked at him with pleading eyes.

When she pouted, he melted. "Fine." He held her hand to keep her from stumbling after he left a tip that would cover them both on the bar, let her lean on him as they walked out to the floor. She half stumbled, clinging to him for support, yet somehow blissfully unaware that she needed it.

She went into his arms easily. Too easily maybe. She fit there, comfortable. Cori wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head against his shoulder as they began to sway slowly from side to side, their bodies close while the song he didn't recognize played over the bar's sound system.

"Who is this?"

 _"Ed Sheeran."_ She sighed wistfully and closed her eyes. "It's called _Kiss Me._ "

He didn't much care for the music, but the lyrics made him think of Renee.

 _I was made to keep your body warm, but I'm cold as the wind blows, so hold me in your arms.._

He felt his heart ache as he thought of her, but his head had mixed feelings. He figured the alcohol was just messing with him, but Cori's presence comforted him in a way it never had before.

More than that, he enjoyed feeling the curves of her soft body pressed against him. Dean rested his head on hers, while his hands caressed her back. He held her close and felt her lips pass lightly across his neck. It caught him off guard, but still made his blood sing.

"I think we should get out of here." She whispered in his ear.

He wasn't completely sober, but there was no confusing the suggestion in her tone.

"You don't want that, Cor." He laughed it off, though he was more tempted than she could possibly know. "You're just wasted and I would just be taking advantage of you."

"Yes, I do." She insisted softly. "I'm a big girl, Dean. I know what happens between a man and woman who are as attracted to one another as we are."

He wanted to deny it – to tell her the liquor coursing through her system was making her imagine whatever attraction she felt. But for his part, it was there and he knew it – still, it didn't change the fact that he would be taking advantage of her. He would just be using her to comfort his own bruised ego and they would both regret it in the morning.

Her more than him.

"I'm just gonna call Becky to come-" He made for the phone in his pocket but was stopped by her hands on his face. Cori covered his mouth with her own before he could comprehend what she was doing, before he could stop her. He cradled her head, submerged his fingers into the soft locks of hair. It wasn't the most graceful of kisses, it was a little sloppy and slightly breathless, but as her teeth tugged at his bottom lip he felt the tightening deep inside him - the pull in the pit of his stomach.

She pulled away with a dazed grin. "I'm not leaving this bar with anyone but you."

* * *

 **September 19, 2016**

 **Memphis, TN**

"Hey, Ro – can we talk?" Her eyes were already misty by the time she located the Samoan superstar coming out of the hotel gym.

She'd known for four days that she was pregnant and she was still shell-shocked.

How would Dean react to the news? What was she even going to do? She hadn't decided whether to keep the baby. The idea of being a mother terrified her, but at the same time she didn't know if she could carry a child for nine months only to give them away. She knew she had other options, but her only certainty was that she refused to entertain them.

The thought of telling Dean scared her to death, but she had to tell _someone,_ she had to get the burden off her chest before she exploded.

He was breathing hard and perspiring heavily, she almost felt guilty for accosting him after his workout. "Sure, baby doll, is everything okay?" He asked, removing his ear buds.

"Roman, I need to tell someone, and I usually confide in Becky but she's on Smackdown and I never see he-" She'd promised herself that she would keep her emotions in check, that she would be putting enough on him by trusting him with this knowledge, but she was unable to to rein in the emotion she'd been holding in check over the last few days. Suddenly it was pouring from her like water from a burst dam. "No, Ro, it's really not." Blinded by tears, she collapsed into his arms, sobbing.

Without hesitance, he enveloped in his warm, strong embrace. "What's going on, Cor? Tell me."

Tears coursed from her eyes, mixing with the sweat that already soaked his black workout shirt. "You have to promise me that this conversation stays between me and you..."

"You have my word, Corinne."

Cori inhaled deeply, some of the tension already easing just knowing she could share – that she wouldn't be alone in her secret anymore. "Ro, I'm pregnant."

She didn't need to see his face to know he was stunned – she felt his breathing hitch in his chest and the soothing hand he'd been running up and down her back was frozen. "Oh..wow...congrats..."

"No, Roman, this is horrible." She buried her face against his chest, solid and broad, allowing herself this moment to fully lean on him, take some of the strength he readily offered. "I've really screwed up." Her voice was muffled as she pressed herself tight.

"Trust me, I know it's scary, but it's not the worst thing in the world, baby doll." Roman attempted to comfort her tenderly.

Cori shook her head, wiping her face as she pulled away. She made a quick glance up and down the hall to ensure Roman was the only one privy to her news. "It's Dean's, Ro." She exhaled.

Roman stared at her for a moment, completely confused, then his grey eyes widened when her words finally processed. "You don't mean..."

She nodded, sniffling away her tears. "Our best friend knocked me up." It was still so surreal to her, she had to laugh a little.

"Whoa, did I miss something?" He asked, smiling in disbelief.

"It was after Summerslam – the night he was fighting with Renee. We both got really, _really_ drunk." Replaying that events of that night back to Roman, all her guilt and shame came flooding back, settling in her belly with a sickly weight.

For a moment, he stood in complete silence, he seemed to be contemplating his words very seriously and very carefully. Though she knew better, she felt some anxiety, worrying that his next words might be words of judgment. But, instead, he just nodded and sighed softly. "I'm guessing it's safe to assume you've sworn me to secrecy because Dean has NO idea?"

"How am I supposed to tell him, Roman? We haven't spoke to one another since the morning after and he's made up with Renee." She grimaced at the name. "Oh, Renee, she's going to kill me."

"Renee's a reasonable human being, Cor, you know that." Roman countered. "They were on a break, you were drunk, and it's not like you intended for it to happen."

Cori snorted. "Reasonable or not, I don't think she'll see it that way." She immediately began sobbing again at the feeling of overwhelming guilt. "I'm just a dirty, homewrecking baby momma."

"No, baby doll." He pulled her into his chest, again surrounding her in the warmth of his arms, and held her tight. "One questionable decision doesn't make you a bad person. I know Renee is your friend and you care about her, but her feelings can't be your priority right now."

Once more, she leaned into his strength and let the emotions she held in run free – the fear, the loneliness, the shame, the guilt, the heartache. It poured from her in chest-heaving sobs.

All the while, Roman patted her back and smoothed her hair.

"You need to focus on what's coming next and doing what's best for you and this baby – you have to tell Dean." He stated after some time.

She nodded and sucked in a wavering breath. "I know. It's just hard to do with us being on different shows and schedules. I don't want to do it over the phone."

"Yeah, I don't think he'd appreciate finding out like that. But, he would want to know and I think I know him well enough to say he'll want to do the right thing – you gotta tell him. Sooner, not later, Cor."

A silence fell between them that was not comfortable; Roman wasn't telling Cori anything she hadn't repeated to herself for four days. She knew she had to tell Dean. It was his baby too and he had every right to know. Unlike Roman, she wasn't so confident he would take the news well, but she did know the chances of that would decrease the longer she chose to keep him in the dark.

"You gotta be a little excited though, right?" Roman eventually asked. "Believe me when I tell you that having a baby will fill an empty place in your heart that you never knew you had. I'm sure you never planned for this, but I think some of the best things that ever happen to us are unplanned and unexpected."

Cori didn't answer him – she had enough guilt and shame to go against without adding to it by admitting she didn't feel anything that remotely resembled anticipation or excitement for the life she was carrying.

* * *

 **I've promised Sami Zayn & I will deliver! Soon! **


	3. Chapter 2

**[A/N: So, I know I promised the update to Bulletproof Weeks first, but honestly – I must write what's in my heart & it was this story. Just trust that I am still actively working on both stories and I will update that one very soon. Also, I mostly try to steer away from using actual names in my stories because it feels weird to me, but in some cases (such as this) I prefer the actual name. Just prefacing this chapter with that so people aren't like – "why do you use their actual name but nobody else's?" WHY? BECAUSE IT'S A G*DDAMN BEAUTIFUL ASS & UNIQUE NAME! Also, it's like...** _ **my**_ **story.** **Teehee. Anyways, enjoy.]**

* * *

 **[November 14, 2016]**

 **[Buffalo, NY]**

It was the sound of Becky's light snoring that roused Cori from a deep sleep at 7AM. After an overnight flight from Europe, followed by a 7-hour drive from JFK to their hotel in Buffalo, both women were exhausted when they fell into the bed. So physically drained that neither of them complained when the hotel jacked up their reservation and put the women in a single instead of a double. The last time Cori remembered looking at the clock – she'd texted her mom to let her know she'd arrived safely back into the states – it was 2AM.

Five hours of sleep, but it felt like she'd just gone to bed. She just couldn't handle the lack of sleep and crazy travel schedule as well as she had before pregnancy. Now 14 weeks along, she was sapped of all her energy and motivation. Every task felt like a struggle and no amount of sleep rid her of her relentless tiredness.

"Rebecca." Cori groaned, rolling over to nudge her best friend. "If you don't stop snoring, I'll bash your head in and get probation when I blame it on pregnancy hormones." She grumbled before opening her eyes.

To her surprise, she found only wrinkled sheets and the indentation on Becky's pillow – which meant she'd been roused by the sound of herself sawing logs. Snoring was never an issue for her before, but her newfound bible, _What to Expect When You're Expecting_ , mentioned snoring as one of the _lovely_ symptoms of pregnancy.

Since Becky had already started her day and was probably already in the gym, Cori figured it was best if she made her own start.

Sighing, she sat up, brushing her blonde curls out of her eyes. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she pushed her feet into black slippers waiting on the floor. She sat there for a moment, waiting to see if she would be met with a wave of nausea and dizziness.

On good mornings, Cori could wake early and take a shower before grabbing breakfast with Seth and Roman; then, if her body felt up to it, she'd sometimes follow the boys to the gym where she'd busy herself with some light lifting or jogging on the treadmill while they worked out. Afterwards, it would be on to the next arena – the next show. But, on the bad days – and they tended to outnumber the good, as morning sickness went – Cori's alarm would go off, only to leave her wrapped around the porcelain toilet seat in the bathroom adjoining her hotel room. On those days, she did well to get a shower and make it to the arena on time and presentable.

When she was satisfied that she wasn't going to suffer from vertigo and a twisting stomach, she stood from the bed and stretched her stiff muscles before heading to the bathroom for her morning shower.

She emerged a half hour later, feeling clean and fresh, her hair damp.

While toweling herself dry, she hummed and thought about everything she had to get done that day.

Her sister was getting married next month and she'd promised to design and sow her wedding dress. She'd sent Cori some ideas via e-mail the night before – _she still had to check those._

Dana Brooke and Alicia Fox were both wearing new attires at Survivor Series, in six days, and while she was almost finished with Alicia's – she had yet to even get Dana's measurements.

Roman and Seth wanted her to grab lunch with them.

 _And she had to tell Dean she was pregnant._

She was terrified of what it would mean for their friendship and her reputation once the news got out, but she knew it was finally time and the longer she avoided it – the worst it would be. Roman knew. Seth knew. Becky knew. It was time Dean did, too. She wanted nothing more than to be excited and enjoy her pregnancy – but she couldn't do that until the truth was out.

Tonight was the perfect night – just the moment she'd been waiting for; Dean would be at Raw with the rest of Smackdown's Survivor Series team, so she could finally tell him to his face and not over the phone. Also, Renee wouldn't be there.

As much as she was concerned about Dean's reaction, Renee's was the one Cori feared most.

Her stomach roiled so much at the thought, she wasn't sure if it was nerves or morning sickness creeping up.

It was the sound of hotel room's door opening and Becky's voice that tore Cori from her thoughts and upset stomach. She was just about to wrap her towel around her naked body when she caught sight of her figure in the wall-length bathroom mirror.

Steam covered the mirror, distorting her reflection, so she used the bath towel to wipe it from the mirror. Then, she could clearly see her stomach, which, if she wasn't mistaken, was now swollen.

Cori rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things – just yesterday she was flat!

But, now it was there.

 _The Bump._

She turned sideways, marveling at how quickly her body was changing. Her mother had told her that pregnancy was fast, but _this fast_?

Was it because she had finally accepted it and the baby?

She was coming to terms with impending motherhood, but it was still weird to her – the idea of a baby growing inside of her.

It was taking over her body, draining it of nutrients, and depending on her for everything it needed to survive.

The responsibility was overwhelming.

"Becky!" She didn't even bother to cover herself, she had to get her best friend's approval – had to be reassured that she wasn't seeing things. Yanking the bathroom door open, she rushed into the other room. A cold chill ran up her spine when the air-conditioned draft collided with her nude body, damp from the warm, moist steam of the bathroom – she was unbothered. "Rebecca, Look at this!" She called out to her best friend, but Cori was too focused on her midsection, turning this way and that – she never noticed Becky wasn't alone.

"It's no bother at all, Rami. I think Cori's in the shower, but if you – CORINNE!" Becky gasped loudly, and leapt up from her seat on the end of the bed. "What are you doing, woman!?"

At first, Cori was confused – the two women were the best of friends and had both seen the other in more than compromising positions. Then, her eyes went to the true source of Becky's shock.

"Oh my god! I didn't know anyone else was in here." Her cheeks burned as she hastily wrapped the thick terry towel around her. "I'm so sorry." She apologized to their co-worker standing next to Becky – the man known professionally to the world as Sami Zayn, but just Rami to everyone backstage.

"No, no, it's my fault. I should've waited until I saw you at the arena." His head was bowed and his hand was up, shielding his eyes, but Cori could see that his cheeks were flushed – nearly as red as the hair atop his head. "I didn't mean to intrude."

"You're not intruding." Cori, herself, was absolutely mortified but tried to play it cool for his sake. "What did you need?"

Meanwhile, Becky was twisting her mouth to keep from laughing. "Our buddy, Rami, snagged his tights last night and was hoping everyone's favorite seamstress could fix 'em up before Raw tonight?"

Cori's hazel eyes went down to his hands and finally noticed the black tights he was carrying with him.

She nodded, but groaned internally – she already had enough to do and she didn't want to make a habit of doing work favors off the clock. But, after accidentally flashing the man and embarrassing them both, she felt obligated. "No problem, Rami." She hid her irritation with a smile. "Just let me get dressed and grab my kit."

* * *

By the time Cori threw on her clothes and emerged from the bathroom, Becky had disappeared, but Rami was still waiting.

"You're lucky, Rami – I keep this handy for bikini emergencies." Cori tried to keep the mood light as she retrieved her black sewing bag from her suitcase.

"I really appreciate you taking the time out of your day to help me out." He was finally able to bring his eyes up to look at her, but he still seemed tense or nervous with his hands balled in his lap.

"Don't mention it." He'd taken a seat on the loveseat beneath the window, and she joined him. "It's the least I could do after blinding you." She pulled her still wet hair back, caught it with an elastic band, and offered him another smile.

"No, you didn't blind me, it was nice." He said, before blushing again and adding, "I mean, not that I was looking... you just have a nice, womanly shape... not that there's anything wrong with women who may not necessarily fit society's mold..." Rami nervously stumbled with his words as he continued to ramble.

Cori just giggled as she opened her kit, pulling out scissors, a thimble, needle, and spool of black thread. Though she'd never really spent any significant amount of time alone with him, Rami was one of the few people she liked backstage. He was funny, intelligent, charming, and genuinely a sweet guy. "It's okay, Rami, I know what you meant." She reassured him as she took the tights from his hands and spread them across her legs. "Now, let's see the damage." She examined the tear along the inseam of the tights, about 3 inches long – easy fix.

Instinctively, she set to work – her small sewing scissors flashed as she deftly snipped at the thread. Putting the scissors aside, she threaded her needle and began to repair the inseam, making tiny gathers in the cloth. Her head was bent. Her eyes were lowered in concentration. Pale gold light from the window streamed over her shoulder while her nimble fingers worked.

She had always loved fabric and sewing, since she was a little girl helping her grandfather in his tailor shop. By the time she was 12 years old, she was designing and sewing costumes for her school's theater productions. Her senior year of high school, she'd handmade her very own prom dress. It was her passion and she was very thankful for the opportunity to do what she loved for a living.

"So, uh, if you don't mind my asking – how far along are you?" Rami had been quiet while watching her work, but a short time later, his voice startled her out of her deep concentration.

"Pardon?" She tied the last stitch and snipped the needle free before bringing her eyes up to meet Rami's – but his were on her midsection.

"Just, before you covered up, I couldn't help but notice-"

"Oh." Automatically, her hand went to her tummy – to the new curve concealed behind the loose fabric of her favorite t-shirt. "Fourteen weeks." She answered.

"This is your first, I assume?"

For a second, Cori hesitated – caught off guard by his sudden line of questioning. Outside of her inner circle, she'd never mentioned her pregnancy to anyone at work, much less discussed it. But, there was something about him that made her feel at ease – like maybe she could trust him. Still, it didn't feel right talking to him about her pregnancy without having talked to Dean. "It's nothing personal, Rami-" She said, quietly. "I can't talk about that right now." Another feigned smile and she laid the repaired tights in his lap.

"I understand, Cori, I didn't mean t-" Before he could apologize, she raised her hand to stop him.

"You don't need to be sorry. I just think I should tell the father before I give another man all the details." She decided to explain.

"Fair enough." He nodded.

A beat of awkward silence followed before Rami stood up. "Well, uh -" He cleared his throat. "I really appreciate this, Cori." He reiterated his earlier point. "Thank you, m'lady." He bowed slightly.

"Again, Rami, don't mention it." She smiled and waved him off.

He gave her one last smile and turned around as though he was going to leave the room; but suddenly turned back again. "Actually, I would like to make it up to you – can I take you to lunch before the show?" He asked, rather cautiously.

Cori just looked at him – a bit more skeptically than she intended.

 _Had he just asked her out? Of course not – he was just being friendly. After all, he'd just seen that she was pregnant._

"I appreciate it, I really do, but it's not necessary." She declined politely. "Plus, I already have lunch plans with Roman and Seth."

"Okay – what about after the show?" He suggested. "I know of this nice little 24/7 bodega not far from the arena, and they have some of the best sandwiches you'll ever taste in your life."

Cori wanted a reason to say no, but aside from her pregnancy – that he seemed aware of – she had none and didn't dare pretend. Besides, after she finally told Dean the news, comfort food would probably be on the menu.

"Alright." She grinned, amiably. "What kind of pregnant lady would I be if I turned down free food?"

* * *

This one is pretty...idk... _boring_. I'm sorry – the build up isn't always fun. :( There was actually more to it, but it was too long – so I cut it in two parts. The second half is 75% percent complete. I will probably finish it tomorrow during work and post it, if you guys REEEAAALLLY want it. Hehe. Also, I'd like to thank everyone for the great feedback on the last chapters  & the kind words. Really made me feel better about re-posting this story. KEEP IT UP! :D


	4. Chapter 3

[ **A/N:** Okay, so, I've decided that I am going to be posting shorter updates in the hopes that I will post a bit more regularly. I considered putting myself on a writing schedule, but let's be real - I do this for free  & it takes enough energy to make myself show up for the scheduled job that I am paid to perform, on most days. Thanks for the patience, reviews, likes, follows, faves, love, ect. I really appreciate it – I'll make a conscious effort to do better.

Now, just a small **TRIGGER** warning: There is the small mention, hell, not even a mention - an insinuation - of the forbidden "A" word. It's a sensitive subject for most, and I get it. This story is not necessarily a personal reflection of my own opinion on the topic, and I don't care to hear anyone else's opinion on it. We're all entitled to them, but don't consider this an open window to shout your own to me. If you don't like it, don't read. If it hurts you, I'm sorry - don't read. Any complaints or rants regarding this will NOT be noted, but will be BLOCKT - Otherwise, carry on.]

* * *

 **[November 14, 2016]**

 **[Buffalo, NY]**

 **[KeyBank Center]**

 _"No lace and no bows! They're tacky and overdone."_ Cori responded to her sister's text message and tucked her cell phone back into her bra.

She let out her breath in an exasperated sigh – as happy as she was for her sister and honored that she wanted Cori to have such a role in her special day, it was the least of her concerns now.

The backstage area of KeyBank Center was bustling – as was normal after Raw went off the air. Everyone was focused on packing up and making the next town. The people moving around Cori had far more determination to get to their destination than her.

Her feet moved slowly, but still with purpose.

She just wasn't in any hurry to reach her next stop – the men's locker room – since it felt more like making the trudge to her own execution than catching up with an old friend.

 _Catching up with an old friend_ \- that sounded far better than what she knew it really was. It was a meeting, a discussion, hell, a notification at best.

Despite the budding life within her, Cori's stomach felt hollow as she approached the grey door with the makeshift paper sign that read 'MEN' in bold and large font letters. She paused outside the door, took a deep breath, then with a shaking hand, reached for the door knob.

Trepidation made her pause, but before she could turn the knob, the door opened.

"Oh, hey, Corinne! I was just about to come find you." It was Rami's smiling face that emerged from the locker room, dressed for the road, and pulling his bags behind him. "Are you ready to go? You're not wearing a jacket – it's a little nippy out tonight? Do you want to borrow mine?" He started to unzip his black track jacket – she recognized it as it resembled one she'd borrowed and never returned to Becky. It had the yellow NXT logo on the left breast and the WWE logo on right shoulder.

"Oh, uh, actually – can you give me like 30 minutes and I'll meet you by the door?" Having spent all day obsessing over how and what she was going to tell Dean, she'd honestly forgotten that she agreed to let Sami buy her a late dinner. She was almost tempted to find an excuse to cancel – it wasn't like her frazzled nerves left her with much of an appetite, and what business did she have entertaining the attention of a man when she was carrying another's baby? But, on top of her anxiety, she knew she wouldn't be able to bear the inevitable guilt if she did – especially after witnessing his excitement upon seeing her.

"I just need to take care of something really quickly and I'll be all set." She forced a smile.

"Not even going to give me a chance to be annoying before you ditch me, eh?" His tone was light, but she could sense he was only half-joking.

Cori giggled – a real, genuine giggle. "I promise I'm not trying to ditch you, Rami. If I was, I certainly wouldn't tell you to wait for me by the only exit."

"Valid point." He blushed. "I'll see you in a bit."

* * *

To Cori's relief, the locker room was empty, except for the lone figure of Dean, sitting in the corner. Busy shoving his belongings into the backpack at his feet, he didn't notice her come in. She watched him for a second, quietly humming to himself, undisturbed.

Her frayed nerves told her to turn around while she still could, but she never got the chance. Just looking at the top of his head as he hunched over his bag made her stomach roil. She must've made a sound as she grabbed the doorframe to steady herself, because his blue eyes looked up to her.

The first time their eyes had met since that morning.

Before that morning, he would've greeted her with a lazy grin, a fist bump, and some affectionate insult. Now, his blues eyes greeted her with a cold look that was a mixture of curiosity and disdain.

Though he appeared less than happy to see her, she still gave him a small smile. "Hey, stranger."

"Oh, Cor – I think you just missed Seth and Ro." He answered, nonchalantly, and went back to packing his bag.

After their night together, she certainly wasn't expecting things to be anything less than awkward, but all the same – his offhand dismissal hurt like hell.

With a step toward him, Cori took a deep breath to settle her emotions before she let the pain of his blasé attitude sink in.

She noticed she was unconsciously wringing her hands. She put them behind her back and forced herself to shrug off the nerves and concentrate on the man before her. "I was looking for you, Dean." Her stomach turned again at the thought of the conversation they were about to have. Based off the way he greeted her, she was pretty sure he wouldn't react well to learning she was pregnant. Knowing didn't make it any better, it made it worse. Expecting the pain, and welcoming it, wasn't always better than not knowing. Already she could feel the tingling sensation of tears coming to her eyes. "I was actually hoping we could talk- "

"Look, Cori -" Dean threw his bag up on his shoulder and stood up, cutting her off before she could really begin. "I'm sorry I haven't hit you up since, well, ya know." He shrugged again. "I guess I was fooling myself when I thought our little roll in the sheets wouldn't affect our friendship." His tone will still dismissive, maybe even a little impatient.

She assumed his guilt over essentially stepping out on Renee didn't appreciate the reminder that was Cori's presence.

It did nothing for her nerves or her shame.

Quickly she swallowed hard against the rising lump that threatened her.

"Dean..." She sighed, and said all that was really left to say. "I'm pregnant."

The words left her mouth like vapor heat rising in the cold—soft and timorous. She wasn't completely sure if he heard her or not, but when she looked up and saw the look of horrified shock on his face – she knew he'd heard her just fine.

He was silent for several deafening seconds and she practically held her breath, waiting for his response.

Dean took several steps backwards, running his hands through his hair. Myriad expressions crossed his face – disbelief, doubt, confusion. "Are you sure I'm the one who put that bun in the oven?'

Maybe it was the overabundance of hormones swimming through her bloodstream, but she immediately took offense. As if she had some reason to lie? As if being pregnant by anyone but him, or at all, wouldn't make things so much less complicated for her. "I think you know I wouldn't tell you if I wasn't certain."

"Okay, and I think _you_ know that this can't happen." He answered, sounding almost desperate. "It was a stupid one night stand, I have Renee – "

His words stung like a slick smack in the face. She almost wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. Here she was, worried about how she would be able to afford and provide a stable lifestyle for herself and their baby while balancing her career – and his first concern was his girlfriend.

" _This can't happen?"_ She returned, her tone coming out a bit more pointed than expected. "I'm sorry, Deano, but I'm afraid it's already done."

"Well, I'll give you the money to _undo_ it." It wasn't the content of what he was suggesting that caught her off guard; no, it was the manner of which he said it.

No nerves.

No stuttering.

No hesitation and in no uncertain terms.

A dry, humorless laugh escaped her lips. "Keep your money, Dean." She shook her head, disbelief reflecting in her voice now. "I don't need anything from you at all." Cori turned to leave but stopped short and turned back. When she did, she saw what she believed to be relief flooding his features. For the briefest second, she wondered if it was because he thought she would "undo it", or because he knew she wouldn't?

"I wasn't asking you for anything, Dean, I just thought you deserved to know." This time it was her turn to shrug. "I'm sure you want to get back to the hotel and call Renee now, so I'll leave you alone. I'd appreciate it if you would forget about this, and I promise neither myself, or any child of mine, will ever show up on the doorstep of that pretty little house you just bought together."

With that, she turned to leave, and this time she didn't turn back. She all but ran to retrieve her bag and jacket from her workstation and set off to meet Rami at the door – as she'd promised.

When she made it to the back door, he was there waiting for her – bouncing on his heels and whistling. A bright smile lit up his face when he noticed her approaching, but it quickly disappeared when he saw the tears that now stained her face.

"Corinne, is everything okay?" He asked, looking down at her with concern.

He reached out to put a soft hand on her shoulder, and she let him.

"It will be." She sniffled, but nodded briskly. "Would it be all right if I gave you a rain check on dinner, though? I'd really appreciate a ride back to the hotel – I just need to rest."

… _.and cry my eyes out in peace –_ she wanted to add.

Rami softly squeezed her shoulder, his fingers tightening and easing off before he ran his hand down her arm to her elbow. "Of course, Cori." He said, tenderly. Then, he picked up her bag and ushered her out the door ahead of him. Internally, she thanked him for not pressing the subject.

She knew Dean wasn't coming after her and he wasn't going to call, but as she and Rami made their quiet trek through the parking lot – she couldn't help but to look over her shoulder and check her phone.

She also couldn't help but be less than surprised when both glances were empty.

* * *

 **Seriously, so help me, if there are any Dean fangirls in my PMs or reviews upset because he's kinda/sorta the antagonist - I will punch thirty kittens in the name of every offender. I'm a Dean fangirl - but some of us are cray - seriously. Ok. I'm rambling. Bye. Oh, wait, follow me on Twitter for updates & the likes - Pinkamena_85.**


	5. Chapter 4

**[A/N: I'm trying reaaaaalllly hard to get this story out & finished before I die. Unfortunately, the build is taking forever. The build bores me. In turn, I have zero motivation to write it. Buuuuut, I know it's important to the story. No point to what I am saying - my unreasonable need for acceptance wanted me to let you all know how I'm suffering for you. *wink* Anywho, enjoy!]**

* * *

 **December 12, 2016**

 **Philadelphia, PA**

 **Wells Fargo Center**

In gorilla position, Cori stared up at the monitor, watching Rami make his exit from the ring. As she often did now, she'd stolen herself away from her workstation to observe his match and greet him afterwards. Barely a month ago, she never gave the man an extra thought, he was just another coworker – another face in the hall – but now she wouldn't miss any opportunity to talk to him or be with him. Just looking at him gave her unexplainable feelings, it was like she was a little girl again, with butterflies in her stomach.

Butterflies weren't the only things moving inside of her these days – she was fast approaching the 5-month mark of her pregnancy, she could no longer conceal her growing stomach under any of her t-shirts, and she was beginning to feel the baby's flurry of kicks more every day.

Continuing to watch Rami on the screen, she rubbed her a slow, soothing hand over her belly – trying to calm the restless life within her. His smile grew as he made his way up the ramp, the crowd merrily singing along to his theme music. His happiness was infectious and Cori couldn't help the smile that spread over her lips. The two of them had come to know one another so well over the last month – he was so genuine, so humble, and so friendly to everyone he met. She wondered how anyone could look at Rami and not smile? She couldn't take her eyes off him.

"Hey, Cori, can you stop ogling your precious Gingersnap, please? Like, I before I vomit?" It was Seth's unmistakable voice that interrupted her bliss.

Too engrossed with watching Rami, she didn't notice Roman and Seth had made their way to the curtain, getting ready to go out for their own match.

The smug undertone in the voice behind her would've irritated her weeks before, but, even though she didn't spend much time with them anymore, she'd grown accustomed to Roman and Seth taking any opportunity to heckle her over her relationship with Sami.

She didn't even turn to acknowledge them, choosing to keep her attention on the curtain now. Anticipation twanged in her gut, waiting for Rami to step through. Both busy with work the entire day, she hadn't seen him since he'd left their hotel room at 4AM to start a morning of media appearances – after hours apart, her fingers were practically itching to touch him.

After that night in Buffalo, she and Rami had become fast friends. She'd found that he was very easy to talk to and comfortable to be around. He was a goofball, making her laugh like no other; he made her temporarily forget all her problems, or at least being around him seemed to minimize her problems. With him, she never felt any of the shame, embarrassment, or stress that seemed to constantly weigh her down.

He was good to her.

He appreciated her.

Unlike Roman and Seth, whose loyalties both lay between their two best friends, Rami was 100% in her corner. He listened to her. He understood her. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that he cared about her.

Long midnight drives to different cities became more intimate – he always drove, choosing to let her catch up on her sleep. She'd lost count of how many times she'd stirred in the middle of the drive to find his hand casually resting on her thigh as he drove and she slept. They'd started sharing hotel rooms, occasionally opting for one bed instead of two. She found herself taking every available opportunity to work any house shows on the weekends – so she didn't have to be away from him. When they were both off, he would fly to Milwaukee and keep her company while she spent hours working tirelessly to finish her sister's dress in time. Ever more, they were becoming casually affectionate with one another – prolonged hugs and forehead kisses.

She went into it with every intention of just being his friend, and that's all they were, until one day she realized – though neither had ever said it aloud – they weren't _just_ friends anymore.

Sure, she was pregnant with another man's baby, but Rami didn't seem to care. Cori tried not to think that far ahead, choosing to just enjoy her time with him. She had no clue what would happen with them, or how it would turn out – but he made her happy, and at that time in her life, happy was what she needed.

"Cori, we actually do need your attention for a moment, baby doll." This time, it was Roman's deep voice behind her. "You should probably know that -" She sensed some urgency in his voice, but lost interest as soon as Rami swept through the curtain.

He must've been just as eager to see her, because immediately his eyes began to scan the room full of faces. Cori wasted no time in making her way over to him.

"Are you okay?" Conceivably, he was breathing heavily and sweating profusely, but she was concerned with his hand on his ribs.

He shook his head. "It's fine, just a bad bump, I think." Dismissing her concern, he pulled her smoothly into his arms and gave her a warm hug. "I missed you today."

"Same." Hugging him back, she wasn't even concerned with the sticky moisture of his chest against her face.

"What about you? How are you? Have you eaten today? Did you rest at all?" He fussed over her a bit before planting small kisses on her hair.

Cori looked up at him and felt her heart contract. She liked the way his eyes lit up every time he saw her. She loved how he doted on her, put her on a pedestal like a fragile flower – even if she wouldn't admit that to him.

"Dude, stop." She took his bearded face in her hands and pulled him down to her. "I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself for an entire day, unbelievably." She winked and placed a quick kiss against his lips.

"Just go ahead and etch my name on the plaque for Worst Boyfriend of The Year." He smiled against her lips, letting his hand slip down to her lower back. "What was I thinking? Caring about you and stuff? Ew." He teased, before placing one more sweet kiss against her mouth.

Hearing him say that word made her stomach tingle. "Boyfriend?" She tilted her head slightly, pleasantly surprised. Never had they discussed their blossoming relationship, or made anything official, but she liked the way the word sounded on his lips.

He was already flushed, but Cori saw his blush deepen as he slipped his hands away. "Is that not okay? I'm sorry – I just assumed..."

Before he could start bumbling, as he always did anytime he was nervous, Cori took his hand in hers and kissed his knuckles. "Please hush, because you are seriously starting to get on your _girlfriend's_ nerves." She emphasized the word for his benefit.

A slow smile of flattered self-satisfaction began to spread over his face, but before he could say anything, Seth walked by with his nose snarled up in a faux look of disgust.

"Seriously, Morgan, gross." He grumbled, but Cori chose to just ignore it. She remembered that Roman was trying to tell her something, and recalling his serious tone, wanted to see what it was but he'd already stepped through the curtain.

She just shrugged, intertwined Rami's fingers in her own, and made a mental note to call Roman later.

* * *

After Rami showered, and Cori finished at her workstation, she was in good spirits as they walked across the parking lot to their rental car. Another work week in the books and she was looking forward to going home to her cat and her own bed.

Both of his hands were occupied, pulling each of their suitcases behind him, so Cori held his arm and they leaned toward one another as they strolled in companionable silence.

Their original game plan was to get 3-4 hours of sleep in at the hotel before they caught the red eye back to Milwaukee in time for Cori to make her doctor's appointment the next day – but the rumblings of Cori's stomach told a different story.

"Actually, " She sighed, and laid her head on his arm as if doing so came as naturally as breathing. "I am feeling a wee bit peckish."

"Peckish." Rami chuckled. "Who says _peckish_ anymore, Corinne?"

Playfully, Cori elbowed him. "What have you got _against_ peckish, Rami?" She wore a cheeky grin, enjoying any opportunity to tease him over the way he pronounced the word. The first time she'd noticed it, she found it so funny that she pretended not to hear him, asking him to repeat himself over and over until he caught on that she was ribbing him.

"Well, 'der you go again, eh? Yous American's really enjoy making fun of the way we talk up nort', dontcha know."

Cori almost doubled over in laughter at his poor attempt to replicate a Midwestern accent. "Sweetheart..." She said, between gasps of laughter. "That is probably...the worst...thing I've ever heard in my life."

They made it to the car and she stood aside as he popped the back hatch, tossed their bags inside, and slammed it shut. Just watching him perform that simple act made her heart go still, and she smiled with pleasure.

He was a large part of her life now, something special that she didn't want to lose. She loved being near him, being with him. Her made her smile, made her laugh. She hardly had this much simple fun before meeting him.

"Okay, miss peckish, where would you like to eat?" His hand on the small of her back, he started to walk her to the front passenger door, but she was frozen by the sound of a female voice calling out her name.

"Corinne! There you are!" The voice Cori recognized as Renee's erased any vestige of happiness she was feeling. "I've been looking all over this damn arena for you." She was no longer left to wonder what it was Roman tried to tell her and a knot of apprehension filled her gut.

Her first instinct was to ignore the other woman, get in the car, and leave. Her second was to turn around and immediately beg Renee for her forgiveness.

She did neither – instead, turning around and plastering a half-smile on her face. "Renee, what are you doing here?"

"Oh my god, look at you!" The blonde walked up to them with a bright, engaging smile. "I had to see this for myself – you are totally glowing right now." Her eyes were on Cori's belly protruding beneath her unzipped leather jacket. "I missed you at Survivor Series last month." She gave Cori an even brighter smile.

Cori's polite smile of greeting faltered – completely confused by Renee's sudden appearance. "Yeah, I stayed at the hotel – I wasn't feeling well." She lied.

The truth was that she didn't want to see Dean, having little desire to face the man a week after he told her to get rid of their baby.

Since then, he hadn't called, texted, or made any effort to contact her.

Cori never expected him to be thrilled but she thought, after he had some time to think, that Roman would be right and Dean would want to be a part of their baby's life... _in some way_.

She let that ember of hope fade way after days faded into weeks. He had done what she asked of him... _forgotten all about her and their baby._

So, Cori had done the same – choosing to forget about Dean, focus on coming to terms with raising their child alone, and enjoying her time with Rami; however long it lasted.

"You haven't returned any of my calls or texts, Cor." Renee regarded Cori with a look of concern and curiosity. "I can't believe Brie & I had to find out you're expecting from Dean."

Cori's confusion increased, the furrows in her brow deepening. "He told you?" She studied Renee's face, trying to see how much she really knew. How much of the story had Dean given his girlfriend? Was she aware of the truth and just there to see if Cori would confess?

Cori's heart was pounding in her chest as the possibilities ran through her mind. She swallowed hard, fighting to quell her inner anxiety.

But, Renee's next words came as great shock, and an even greater relief. "Yes! I was so surprised because you never even told me that you were seeing anyone, Cor." Renee exclaimed, playfully slapping the shoulder of her friend. "Congrats, you two! You must be so excited."

Cori felt all of the tension leave her body and almost sagged to the ground in relief. "Renee, Rami and I've only been seeing one another for a few weeks – he's not the baby's father." She blurted out.

"Oh." The smile disappeared from Renee's face, her eyes dancing between Cori and Rami. Inside, Cori knew what was Renee was thinking; she was asking the same question Cori used to asked herself. The same questions Roman and Seth had finally stopped asking.

 _What the hell were they doing together?_

After a short pause that clearly left all three adults feeling awkward, Renee spoke up again. "Well, Dean and I are taking a brief detour on our way to D.C. for Smackdown tomorrow. I was hoping we could all go to dinner and catch up?" She nodded at Rami. "That invite also extends to you, of course."

"Maybe another time, NéeNée." Cori politely refused Renee's invite before he could respond. "Rami's been up since 4, and I think we're just going to head back to the hotel and catch a few winks befo-"

"Hey, don't flake out on your friends because of me." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and drew her close to him. "You just said you were _peckish_ , remember? I'll catch up on sleep after your appointment tomorrow."

"Great!" Renee clapped her hands together, a bright grin returning to her face. "I'll call Dean and tell him that we have plans."

* * *

 **Well, I hope you all enjoyed. Leave sweet reviews. I hope to update soon, but I won't make any promises on a date/estimate - because I always feel like a dick when I procrastinate and don't deliver. Also, I should probably take a moment to update Bulletproof Weeks for it's loyal following. IDK. It's 2AM & my inane rambling hints that I should probably go to sleep. Adieu.**


	6. Chapter 5

**[A/N: Just an aside – I wanted to take a moment to explain the title of this story. See, I am something of a melomaniac - one with an** **abnormal** **fondness** **of** **music** **– and it pretty much influences every aspect of my life; especially writing.** **For those of you who aren't familiar with The Beatles (HOW), Let It Be is the title of one of their better-known tracks. Written by Paul McCartney during a hard, troublesome part of his life, the backstory is that he was inspired after being visited by his deceased mother in a dream. In that dream, she told him to _let it be._ He said It was really like she had visited him at this very difficult point in his life and gave him this message: Be gentle, don't fight things, just try and go with the flow and it will all work out. That message really resonates with me in terms of my vision for Corinne's journey during this story. So, there – that's something you know now. Enjoy.]**

* * *

 **December 12, 2016**

 **Philadelphia, PA**

"So, when are you due? What are you having? Give me all the details." Seated across from Cori in the booth, Renee inquired, idly stirring her coffee.

A Denny's was the only restaurant they could find close to the arena and open late. It was empty except for the two couples and the night shift employees. Aside from a few of them coming over to their table to request autographs and pictures with the three better known people seated in the booth, the mood had been tinged with a quiet, tense feeling.

It crept about like a shadow Cori couldn't quite ignore but disappeared when she tried to look directly at it.

So far, Renee had done most of the talking.

"Uh…May 17th..." Cori scraped the tines of her fork along her plate and tried not to meet anyone's eyes. "I don't know the gender yet, but I'm hoping to find out tomorrow." She was tempted to make some kind of excuse and change the subject. _She really didn't want to talk about it_ _._

Renee's excitement and interest heaped even more guilt onto her already overburdened conscience.

Dean's presence wasn't helping matters, either.

Upon both couples' arrival in the parking, he'd acted as if nothing had happened. Greeted her like a long-lost friend – hugged her even. She'd met his enthusiastic greeting with a cool silence – hoping Renee and Rami would just chalk her indifference up to her being exhausted.

Just the idea of sitting across a table from him and sharing a meal made her twitch with anger. Only the reassuring solidity of Rami's body next to her, and the fact that she didn't have any explanation for Renee, kept her seated.

"Do you want a boy or a girl?" Renee continued her inquisition, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Do I have a choice?" Cori offered a tight smile. She pushed her food around on her plate with her fork, her appetite gone, nerves a-tingle.

The truth was that she hadn't much time to contemplate the gender of her future son or daughter, too busy coming to terms with the fact that she was going to be a single mother and one of her best friends had fooled her into thinking he was a decent human being. She just wanted a happy and healthy baby – that wasn't _anything_ like it's father.

"So, what's the story with the father?"

Cori cleared her throat and another awkward silence ensued, during which Cori had time to catch the withering look that Dean threw in her direction.

Cori wished Renee would stop asking questions – she hated lying to her. Regardless, she gave the story she'd given everyone at work aside from her inner circle, even the man sitting next to her. "He doesn't want to be involved and I've given him the out - if he ever wants to put his business out there, he's welcome to, but I'd rather not discuss it."

"Is it anyone we know? I'd like to know the identity of this deadbeat so I can cut his balls off." In Renee's tone and look were commingled anger and sympathy. "I'm sorry, girl. Men are pigs." She rolled her eyes before adding, "No offense, boys."

Rami just nodded and placed a comforting hand on her knee.

Dean placed an arm around his girlfriend's shoulders. "Ah, Renee, you've seen how Cori gets after a few drinks." He smirked. "It's probably some random guy she met in a bar – probably doesn't even have a name to give us."

All her controlled anger at the way Dean was treating her threatened to rush up from within like a ruptured water main. She wasn't the only one that didn't appreciate Dean's condescending tone – she felt Rami flinch and grip her knee a little too tightly. She removed his hand and laced their fingers together instead.

"I could give it to Renee right now, if you want." Boldly, she met Dean's eyes, challenging him to call her bluff.

His smirk spread into a cruel smile. "Actually, you girls have had your chance to catch up – our pal over here hasn't said a word." Turning his attention to Rami, he put his hands on the table and leaned forward. "But, me, I'm interested to know what you want with some girl whose gone and got herself knocked up by some asshole?" He lowered his voice, as if he were telling a secret. "Is it like, I dunno, some weird fetish thing?" He smiled ruefully, giving Cori his most cutting side-eye.

Rami slammed his fork down on the table hard enough to make Cori and Renee jump. Even Dean was caught off guard, the smile on his face disappeared as he sat back in the booth.

"Dean, man, why are you acting like such a jerk right now?" He glared at the other man.

"Rami, babe, it's okay." Cori squeezed his hand.

Even Renee was eyeing her boyfriend with contempt. "No, it's actually a very good question and I'm curious to know the answer."

"Aren't you supposed to be one of her best friends?" Rami continued, his voice was calm but his anger came out in every word. "Is this how you treat and talk to your friends? You really think the way you're acting right now is acceptable behavior?"

The two men glared at each other. There was a full-grown silence that was full of ire and strain.

Cori's eyes were on her boyfriend. His jaw twitched and Cori couldn't help but think he looked like he wanted to punch Dean. A side of him she'd never really seen outside of his work. She also couldn't help the mild sense of satisfaction it brought her.

It was Dean who finally broke the silence. "Relax, buddy, I'm just taking the piss out of her." He threw his hands up defensively, smiling lightly. "No harm intended." He winked at Cori and she decided she'd had enough.

She grabbed her jacket and scooted out of the booth. "I think it's time for us to go, Rami." She pulled enough money out of her lime green clutch and slapped it on the table before anyone could protest. "I've lost my appetite and we both need some sleep."

* * *

 **So, this one was short, sorry. I'd already written most of it and figured I'd give this part to you all now instead of making you wait until after I updated Bulletproof Weeks. So, like, you're welcome. *wink* Now that (what I feel like was the hard part of) the build is over – I'll be updating this story a bit more regularly. Hope you enjoyed.**


	7. Chapter 6

[A/N] So, yeah, I am alive and I am sorry. I wish I had an explanation for my horribly extended absence, but I don't. Just, I dunno, life? Anyway, I promise to anyone still following this story and my others...I am settled now & will be devoting more time to finishing all of my stories for you guys. Weeks may pass, but I won't be a year again. You have my word. Thanks. Enjoy.

* * *

 **November 14, 2016**

 _After she left, slamming the door behind her, the silence in the empty locker room was deafening._

 _Not that Dean could hear anyway, the way his pulse was roaring in his ears._

 _He plopped down on the bench and stared at the pale, white wall. His breath coming shallow and fast, he was highly aware of his hearting pounding against his rib cage._

 _Cori was pregnant._

 _His mind was reeling in complete and utter disbelief._

" _You don't even know if it's yours, Dean." He spoke the words out loud, but the statement wasn't true. He knew Cori – she wouldn't have shown such anger, such hurt, if the baby wasn't his._

 _He was just trying to make himself feel better about the disgusting words that had left his mouth._

 _He'd regretted them the moment he saw the tears building in the emerald pools she called eyes._

 _Dean was self-aware enough to know what he was doing; he was scared spitless and he was pushing her away._

 _Of course, he didn't want her to get rid of it._

" _Fuuuuuck." He expelled a heavy, frustrated breath._

 _Dean Ambrose aspired to many things in his life – fatherhood was never one of them. He wasn't anywhere near ready to contemplate bringing a child into the world._

 _Not after the childhood he'd endured._

 _Certainly not as the result of one-night stand with one of his best friends._

 _What was he supposed to do now?_

 _Could he really walk away from Cori and her baby?_

 _She'd told him to._

 _He certainly wanted to, that much was true._

 _He didn't want a baby. He didn't need a baby._

 _But, then, he reckoned what he wanted or needed didn't really matter anymore._

 _A nagging voice in the back of his mind told him to go after her and make it right._

 _He shook his head, trying to ignore it, and went back to shoving his belongings into his backpack. She'd give him his out and he was going to take it – but after a few minutes of silence, it started in again._

 _Swearing under his breath, he slung his bag over his shoulder and set off to find her._

 _After checking the catering area and with another of the seamstresses, who told him Cori had left for the night, he hurried to the exit._

 _There, he found her, but he stopped short of calling out her name._

 _She was with Zayn, which was surprising to Dean because she'd never talk about him before._

 _What was more surprising to Dean was the way the other man looked at Cori, her back to Dean._

 _The way he looked into her eyes as she spoke, like there was nowhere in the world he'd rather be..._

 _The tenderness of his hand on her shoulder..._

 _Watching them walk out together, a jolt of some uncomfortable emotion shocked Dean's system; it took a moment before_ _he realized he was jealous_.

 _It caught him off guard, not simply because he wasn't the jealous type – but because he didn't understand why he was jealous?_

 _His grip on his bag was so tight that after a while his hand went numb. The sensation brought him to his senses, and he realized he was just standing there, scowling down an empty hall like an idiot._

" _I guess she doesn't need me after all."_

* * *

 **January 4, 2017**

 **Las Vegas, NV**

Four weeks had passed since their dinner date with Cori and Rami.

Christmas had come and went, along with New Years.

Although he hadn't seen or spoken to Cori since, their altercation was still forefront of Dean's muddled mind.

"I just wish I knew that creep's angle." Sitting in the living room he shared with Renee, Dean pondered out loud. More so to himself than the visiting Roman sitting with him.

It surprised him, honestly, how much the thought of Cori with the other man _still_ rattled him. While he knew it was juvenile, what bothered him most is that she wasn't more troubled without him.

All thanks to the other man.

"It is not my place to be discussing this with you, man." Shaking his head, the Samoan sipped his beer.

Dean leaned forward on the couch and slammed his own empty beer on the coffee table, a bit harder than intended. "No, Ro, seriously."

"Seriously?" Roman echoed, the word dripping with sarcasm. "Why do you care? Not that you shouldn't." He shrugged. "I just figured, given your recent behavior, that you wouldn't."

Dean sighed, hung his head in shame, and muttered. "You know me better than that, Roman."

Of course, he acted like it was no big deal, but he had to do that to protect himself. It was eating him alive on the inside – all of his guilt and shame.

He wanted his child.

He wanted to be there for Cori.

He didn't want to lose Renee.

How could he choose one without hurting the other?

Maybe he was being unrealistic, or even greedy. But, constantly found himself desperately searching for a way he could have all three.

If anyone would understand that, he figured it would be the man he thought of as a brother.

"I thought I did." Roman answered thoughtfully, then paused a moment before continuing. "You know I was the first one Cori told about the baby?"

Dean looked up, a bit taken aback before he shook his head.

"I told her that you would want to do the right thing by her and the baby." He stated matter-of-factly. "She was terrified, dude. So, sure, maybe a part of me just told her that because I didn't want her to be afraid. But, most of me thought it was true." He nodded his head slowly, though he smiled and seemed regretful.

Dean saw it in his eyes, in his demeanor, heard it in the tone of his voice.

It compounded his pre-existing guilt tenfold and he wanted desperately to tell his friend that he wasn't responsible for his dumbass choices.

But those words wouldn't come.

Instead, he got up to toss his empty beer bottle in the trash and went to the fridge to get another one.

"Well, for reasons beyond my comprehension, good ole Rami seems more than happy to play daddy to the kid." Envy coiled in the pit of his stomach as he popped the top on the bottle and took a huge gulp of the ice-cold beverage – but it didn't cool the fire inside.

"So, what does it matter?" He added, stalking back into the living room and plopping onto the couch.

His envy flowed out of a deep, seething anger at the way he felt life was cheating him. He was clutching that beer so tightly, it nearly dented beneath his grip.

The sound of footsteps in the yard, followed by the door slamming, interrupted his gloomy thoughts.

"Hiya, boys!" Renee's silvery voice announced her return. "How's it hangin'?" She asked as she strolled into the living room and took a seat on the arm of the sofa, next to Dean.

Slightly surprised to see her, Dean glanced down at his watch and back up at her beaming face. "I thought your yoga class wasn't over for another hour?"

"Yeah, but I had to pick this up from FedEx before they closed, otherwise I won't get it to the bakery before our flight tomorrow." From her jacket pocket, she revealed a small manila envelope.

"What's that?" He took a sip of his beer and examined the envelope as she twirled it in her hands.

"Results of the gender scan for Cori's baby." Renee's answer made him almost spit his beer, but she was too focused on the item in her hands to notice the color draining from his face. "Becky and I are going to have her gender reveal party here since Becky's apartment isn't big enough and Cori's in the middle of packing for her big move to Montreal before the baby comes."

His shock quickly turned to anger. "She's moving to fucking Canada with the baby!?" The words came out before he had time to consider them.

"Uh, yeah?" Renee eyed him, clearly confused by his anger.

Dean snapped his attention to Roman, again slamming his beer can on the coffee table. "Did you know about this Ro?!" Although he knew it was misplaced, his anger smoldered inside of him.

Roman remained motionless. He seemed to want to speak, and yet he was unable to find the words, or perhaps to make the decision to say whatever it was.

But, it was Renee who spoke up.

"Well, you'd know that if you hadn't acted like an ass the last time we saw her." She scoffed from behind Dean. "I take it you've yet to apologize? Which reminds me, you never explained why you were such a jerk."

Dean ignored it.

He stood up and began pacing the floor, ranting to nobody but himself, really. "Who does that fucking prick think he is?!" He spoke the words through gritted teeth. His rage was complete, consuming him as fire envelops all things. In that moment he wanted nothing more than to place his hands around the other man and choke the life out of him. "He thinks he can take MY b-" Somehow, he was able to see past his fury long enough to prevent his almost confession.

He stopped pacing and exhaled deeply, raking his fingers through his hair. "….my _best_ friend to Canada."

His anger was overtaken briefly by a pang of sadness. He _was_ losing his best friend, and _his_ baby. And, despite how much he wanted to, he couldn't place the blame on anyone but himself.

With Renee staring at him like he was a mad man, his resolve shattered, and his emotions threatening to overwhelm him – he needed some air. "We're out of beer." He stated plainly, walking to the front door. "Mind driving me to the store, Ro?"

Without question, Roman stood from the couch and joined him at the front door.

Before they could depart, Renee followed after. "Hey, while you're out, do you mind dropping this at the bakers?" She placed the envelope in Dean's hand. "I'll text you the address. But, no peeking." She teased him, but he didn't really care."

"Sure."

* * *

The ride to the store felt like the longest ride of his life, which was saying a lot for two men who traveled hundreds of miles on a nightly basis.

Most of the drive had been in uncomfortable silence, until Roman finally spoke up.

"This is what you wanted, man." He said, keeping his eyes on the road. "You should be happy, right? The baby will be taken care of and Renee will never know."

Dean wasn't sure if Roman was trying to console or mock him, but he wasn't too concerned with his friend's tone. No, his attention was fixated on the envelope in his lap, contemplating how the contents would ultimately change his life forever. Finally, he took a deep breath and reached for it. He carefully ripped the envelope open, making sure the document inside stayed intact. With trembling hands, he pulled the one-page document from the envelope and read it.

"What are you doing?" Stopping at a red light, Roman noticed what Dean was doing. "Renee said -" He started to protest, but it was too late.

"Shit..." Dean muttered, folding the paper up and shoving it back into the envelope.

"What?"

"You have to talk to her, man." Closing his eyes, he exhaled as he scrubbed his hands over his face. "You can't let her take my daughter to Canada."


End file.
